Southfields Road Kempston, Bedford
10 addresses across 2 postcodes (MK42), about 240 m long, classed as a local road. USRN 27300685.
- Flood: No address on its postcodes is in an area at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers, the sea or surface water.
- Council tax: Most homes around it are in council tax band C; Band D in Bedford costs £2,472 a year in 2026-27.
- Broadband: Gigabit broadband is available to 0% to 100% of premises.
- Transport: The nearest railway station is Bedford St Johns, about 1.8 km (1.1 miles) away in a straight line.
- Green space: The nearest park or garden, The Green, is about 760 m (0.5 miles) away.
- Air: Background air pollution in 2024 was 10.1 µg/m³ of nitrogen dioxide and 7.4 of PM2.5, within UK legal limits.
- Height: Its addresses are 29 to 34 m above sea level.
- Noise: 3 of its 10 addresses are modelled at 55 dB or more from road traffic.
- Doctors: The nearest GP surgery is King Street Surgery, about 1 km (0.6 miles) away.
- People: About 310 people lived in the census areas around it in 2021; 86% of households owned their home and 29% of adults held a degree or other higher qualification.
- Crime: 30 crimes were recorded within 250 m between September 2025 and August 2026, most often violence and sexual offences.
Sales on this street
No sales recorded on this street since January 1995 under this street name.
Energy performance certificates
No certificates found for addresses on this street.
Council tax
What each band costs in Bedford in 2026-27: Band D £2,472 a year on average, including the police, fire and any county and parish charges.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £1,648 | £1,922 | £2,197 | £2,472 | £3,021 | £3,570 | £4,120 | £4,943 |
Homes by band in the neighbourhood around this street: most are in band C (40% of about 600 homes).
Planning and heritage
- Conservation area: no postcode centre in this street's postcodes is in one.
- Listed buildings on or by this street: none.
- Article 4 direction (removing permitted development rights): none recorded, though not every council has published theirs.
- Tree preservation orders: none recorded, though not every council has published theirs.
- Green belt: no.
Brownfield land registered for housing within 1 km (0.6 miles)
- 268 to 308 Ampthill Road, Bedford, not permissioned (490 m (0.3 miles))
- Newnorth Print College Street Kempston, permissioned (520 m (0.3 miles))
- Newnorth Print, College Street, Kempston: up to 30 homes, permissioned (520 m (0.3 miles))
- 66 College Street Kempston, not permissioned (590 m (0.4 miles))
- Technology House, 239 Ampthill Road, Bedford: up to 18 homes, permissioned (650 m (0.4 miles))
- Technology House, 239 Ampthill Road, Bedford: up to 41 homes, permissioned (650 m (0.4 miles))
- 1 Park Road, Kempston: up to 5 homes, permissioned (840 m (0.5 miles))
- 16 Bunyan Road, Kempston: up to 7 homes, permissioned (1 km (0.6 miles))
Roadworks
No street works under way, planned or finished in the last three months on this street, in permits up to 31 October 2026.
Flood risk
Rivers, the sea or surface water: in this street's postcodes, 0 addresses are in areas at high risk, 0 at medium risk and 1 at low risk. Each address counts once, at the higher of its rivers-and-sea and surface-water risk.
Rivers and the sea alone: no home is in an area at risk.
High: 3.3% (1 in 30) or more chance of flooding a year. Medium: 1% to 3.3%. Low: 0.1% to 1%. Very low: under 0.1%. The rivers and sea figures allow for flood defences. Counts cover whole postcodes, which can include other streets.
Flood zone for planning: no postcode centre on this street is in flood zone 2 or 3.
| Postcode | Planning zone | Addresses at high / medium / low risk | Groundwater |
|---|---|---|---|
| MK42 7NR | not in 2 or 3 | 0 / 0 / 0 | unlikely |
| MK42 7NP | not in 2 or 3 | 0 / 0 / 1 | unlikely |
Height above sea level
The street's 10 addresses are between 29 m and 34 m above sea level (31 m on average).
Broadband
| Postcode | Superfast (30 Mbit/s+) | Ultrafast (300 Mbit/s+) | Gigabit | Below 10 Mbit/s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MK42 7NP | 100% | 100% | 100% | 0% |
| MK42 7NR | 100% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Getting around
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Railway stations | Bedford St Johns 176,000 journeys in 2024–25 | 1.8 km (1.1 miles) |
| Bedford 3.8 million journeys in 2024–25 | 2.3 km (1.4 miles) | |
| Kempston Hardwick 9,780 journeys in 2024–25 | 3.1 km (1.9 miles) | |
| Bus stops | 6 stops within 400 m (0.2 miles), 21 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest The Fire Station Kempston | 40 m |
| Bus or coach station | Bus Station Bedford | 2.5 km (1.5 miles) |
| Car parks | 1 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Parking Elstow Park and Ride | 470 m (0.3 miles) |
| EV charging points | 6 within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest bp pulse Charging Station | 440 m (0.3 miles) |
| Airport with scheduled flights | London Luton Airport LTN | 27.9 km (17 miles) |
Local services
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| GP surgeries | 1 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest King Street Surgery | 1 km (0.6 miles) |
| Pharmacies | 4 pharmacies within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest Boots | 790 m (0.5 miles) |
| NHS dentists | 3 practices within 1.6 km (1 mile); nearest U H P The Dental Practice | 1 km (0.6 miles) |
| Hospital | Bedford Hospital | 1.6 km (1 mile) |
| Police station | Bedfordshire Police Federation | 940 m (0.6 miles) |
| Cash machines | 2 machines within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Kempston Local Shopper Cashzone | 420 m (0.3 miles) |
Parks and green space
| Nearest | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Park or garden | 1 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest The Green 8,460 m² | 760 m (0.5 miles) |
| Play area | 8 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 720 m² | 60 m |
| Playing field | 3 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 5.8 ha | 140 m |
| Allotments | 1 within 800 m (0.5 miles); nearest Unnamed 2,730 m² | 700 m (0.4 miles) |
Within 800 m (0.5 miles): 1 park or garden, 0.8 hectares in all.
Landmarks
The nearest historic landmark is Parish Church Tower, a listed building (Grade I), 780 m (0.5 miles) east. 26 listed buildings are within 1 km (0.6 miles), 3 of them Grade I and 2 of them Grade II*.
| Name | What it is | From the middle of the street |
|---|---|---|
| Parish Church Tower | Listed building, Grade I | 780 m (0.5 miles) east |
| Parish Church of St Mary and St Helena | Listed building, Grade I | 800 m (0.5 miles) east |
| Moot Hall | Listed building, Grade II* | 820 m (0.5 miles) east |
| Hillersdon Mansion | Listed building, Grade I | 830 m (0.5 miles) east |
| Elstow Manor House (Remains of) | Scheduled monument | 870 m (0.5 miles) east |
| Garden at Three Gables | Registered park or garden, Grade II | 2.9 km (1.8 miles) north-west |
| Name | What it is | From the middle of the street |
|---|---|---|
| The Spinney | Wood | 2.1 km (1.3 miles) west |
| Hollow Lake | Lake or reservoir | 2.1 km (1.3 miles) south-east |
| Rink Islands | Island | 2.4 km (1.5 miles) north-east |
| Castle Hill | Hill | 2.5 km (1.5 miles) north-east |
| Causeway Lake | Lake or reservoir | 2.5 km (1.6 miles) south-east |
| Ridgeway Wood | Wood | 2.8 km (1.7 miles) west |
Air quality
| Pollutant | Here | UK limit | WHO guideline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) | 10.1 | 40 | 10 |
| Fine particles (PM2.5) | 7.4 | 20 | 5 |
| Particles (PM10) | 12.7 | 40 | 15 |
All three are within the UK legal limits; nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5 are above the WHO guideline, as in most towns and cities.
Road and rail noise
| Level | Road traffic | Railways |
|---|---|---|
| 65 to 69 | 1 | 1 |
| 60 to 64 | 1 | 4 |
| 55 to 59 | 1 | 5 |
| Under 55 | 7 | 0 |
3 of the street's 10 addresses are modelled at 55 dB or more from road traffic, and 10 from railways, above the WHO guidelines.
Climate, daylight and earthquakes
Monthly temperatures and rainfall, sunrise and sunset through the year, and earthquakes recorded nearby since 1970 are much the same across the area, so they are worked out once for Bedford: see them on the Bedford page.
Nearest schools
| School | Phase | Ages | Distance | Inspection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daubeney Academy | Secondary | 11–16 | 360 m | No overall grade (Jul 2025, graded inspection without an overall judgement): Quality of education: Good; Behaviour and attitudes: Outstanding; Personal development: Outstanding; Leadership and management: Outstanding |
| Camestone School | Primary | 4–11 | 380 m | No published inspection |
| Springfield Primary School | Primary | 4–11 | 500 m (0.3 miles) | Good (Jun 2022, overall grade under the previous framework) |
| Bedford Road Primary Academy | Primary | 5–11 | 1.1 km (0.7 miles) | Report card (Dec 2025): Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard; Achievement: Needs attention; Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard; Personal development and wellbeing: Expected standard; Inclusion: Expected standard; Leadership and governance: Expected standard; Early years: Expected standard; Safeguarding standards: Met |
| Elstow School | Primary | 4–11 | 1.2 km (0.7 miles) | No published inspection |
| Cauldwell School | Primary | 4–11 | 1.2 km (0.8 miles) | Report card (Nov 2025): Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard; Achievement: Expected standard; Attendance and behaviour: Strong standard; Personal development and wellbeing: Strong standard; Inclusion: Strong standard; Leadership and governance: Expected standard; Early years: Needs attention; Safeguarding standards: Met |
| Peter Pan Nursery School | Nursery | 2–5 | 1.3 km (0.8 miles) | No published inspection |
| Cherry Trees Nursery School | Nursery | 2–5 | 1.5 km (1 mile) | No published inspection |
| Shackleton Primary School | Primary | 4–11 | 1.6 km (1 mile) | Report card (Jan 2026): Curriculum and teaching: Expected standard; Achievement: Needs attention; Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard; Personal development and wellbeing: Expected standard; Inclusion: Expected standard; Leadership and governance: Expected standard; Early years: Expected standard; Safeguarding standards: Met |
| Balliol Primary School | Primary | 2–11 | 1.6 km (1 mile) | Good (Jul 2022, overall grade under the previous framework) |
| Bedford Academy | Secondary | 11–18 | 1.9 km (1.2 miles) | Good (Mar 2023, overall grade under the previous framework) |
Food hygiene ratings nearby
| Business | Type | Distance | Rating | Rated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warren Childcare Centre MK42 7NR | Hospitals/Childcare/Caring Premises | 240 m | 5 Very good | 20 Apr 2026 |
| Joanne’s kitchen MK42 8NW | Other catering premises | 330 m | 5 Very good | 18 Aug 2026 |
| Milk and More MK42 9QT | Distributors/Transporters | 370 m | 5 Very good | 28 Mar 2024 |
| Daubeney Academy MK42 7PS | School/college/university | 390 m | 5 Very good | 9 Feb 2026 |
| Cakes Re-volution MK42 7PR | Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 420 m (0.3 miles) | 5 Very good | 18 Sep 2025 |
| The Mulberry Bush Pub MK42 7PR | Pub/bar/nightclub | 430 m (0.3 miles) | 5 Very good | 23 Jan 2025 |
| OSOM AFRICAN RESTAURANT MK42 7PR | Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 430 m (0.3 miles) | 4 Good | 7 Jul 2026 |
| Morrisons Daily MK42 7PR | Retailers - supermarkets/hypermarkets | 430 m (0.3 miles) | 5 Very good | 3 Jul 2025 |
| Cinnamon MK42 7PR | Takeaway/sandwich shop | 430 m (0.3 miles) | 4 Good | 24 Sep 2026 |
| Mangal BBQ MK42 7PR | Takeaway/sandwich shop | 440 m (0.3 miles) | 5 Very good | 5 Mar 2025 |
| Springfield wok and fish MK42 7PR | Takeaway/sandwich shop | 440 m (0.3 miles) | 5 Very good | 19 Jun 2025 |
| Ground Floor Coffee Shop (Kings Arms Trust) MK42 9AZ | Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 460 m (0.3 miles) | 5 Very good | 27 Jan 2026 |
| Willow Childrens Home MK42 7PP | Hospitals/Childcare/Caring Premises | 480 m (0.3 miles) | Exempt | |
| Kempston Local Convenience Premier Express MK42 8NB | Retailers - other | 490 m (0.3 miles) | 5 Very good | 23 May 2019 |
Crime within 250 m
| Category | Crimes |
|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 12 |
| Anti-social behaviour | 6 |
| Criminal damage and arson | 3 |
| Public order | 3 |
| Vehicle crime | 2 |
| Drugs | 2 |
| Other theft | 1 |
| Burglary | 1 |
Most of these are attached to: On or near The Almonds (10); On or near Henderson Way (8); On or near Whittingstall Avenue (5); On or near The Hornbeams (3); On or near Stonedale Road (3).
People and work
Who lives here
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41 | 40 |
| Children under 15 | 17% | 17% |
| Aged 65 and over | 19% | 18% |
Homes
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Owned (outright or with a mortgage) | 86% | 61% |
| Owned outright | 43% | 33% |
| Shared ownership | under 1% | 1% |
| Social rented | under 1% | 17% |
| Private rented | 12% | 21% |
Work and commuting
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Adults (16 and over) in work | 66% | 57% |
| Unemployment (of those working or looking for work) | 5% | 6% |
| Retired (of adults) | 22% | 22% |
| Long-term sick or disabled (of adults) | under 1% | 4% |
| Work mainly from home (of those in work) | 27% | 32% |
| Travel to work by car or van | 57% | 48% |
| By train, Underground, metro or tram | under 1% | 4% |
| By any public transport, including bus | 2% | 8% |
| On foot or by bicycle | 13% | 10% |
| Work within 10 km (6 miles) of home (of those who travel to work) | 67% | 65% |
| Work 30 km (19 miles) or more away | 8% | 8% |
Education and languages
| Around this street | England | |
|---|---|---|
| Degree or other higher qualification, Level 4+ (of adults) | 29% | 34% |
| No qualifications | 18% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship as highest qualification | 6% | 5% |
| Main language English (aged 3 and over) | 83% | 91% |
| Cannot speak English well or at all | 5% | 2% |
Deprivation
The neighbourhood around this street is in decile 7 of 10 on the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, where 1 is the most deprived tenth of England's 33,755 neighbourhoods and 10 the least.
What has changed
- Food hygiene ratings Cinnamon (takeaway/sandwich shop, MK42 7PR) re-inspected, still 4 Good (rated 24 September 2026) found 30 October 2026
Postcodes on this street
Nearby streets
The Hornbeams · Ash Walk · Fearnley Crescent · Mulberry Walk · The Almonds · Eastdale Close · Whittingstall Avenue · Stonedale Road · Henderson Way · Cherry Walk · Thetford Close · Laurel Walk
What this page cannot tell you
- Whether a particular house is at risk of flooding, subsiding or anything else: the flood map is a model of areas and there is no property-level data here.
- What a home is worth now: sales are historic prices for the homes that happened to sell.
- How safe the street is: crime points are moved to anonymised locations and many crimes are never reported.
- Whether you would get a place at a school: distances are straight lines, not catchments.
- Who lives on the street now: census figures describe the small areas around it in March 2021, during a lockdown.
- How long a journey takes or how often anything runs: transport distances are straight lines to the nearest stops.
- Whether a GP practice is taking new patients, or a dentist new NHS patients.
- How loud a home is inside, or noise from industry, neighbours or smaller airfields: noise figures are models of road, rail and air traffic outside.
How each figure on this page is matched to the street and worked out: methodology.